Crime, Money and Your Security

CLIVE ADDY

Jul 15, 2010

As promised, this Summer 2010 edition deals with criminal financing and its effects on our security. To open, we called upon the expert perspectives of two former RCMP authorities well-versed in the subject of what we call ‘Dirty Money,’ for our first look on this specific topic. Garry Clement, former RCMP Director of the Proceeds of Crime Program and now president and CEO of White Collar Consulting and Investigative Group, and Denis Constant, former RCMP Director General of Economic Crime, and president of Constant Corporate Security & Investigations Inc, answered an identical set of questions. Their perspectives set the scene for FrontLine’s examination of Organized Crime and its impact on one of the key Critical Infrastructure components – the Financial Sector.

From across the border, we are pleased to be able to offer an interesting warning from Nick Contratzos of Efficient Research Solutions, destined for all security professionals in major corporations, especially those dealing with critical infrastructure. His article on Insider Financial Crime will open eyes to the less obvious risks.

On a similar note, Kim R. Manchester, the Managing Director of ManchesterCF, a financial crime risk management firm, examines money laundering as well, this time from the perspective of a growing expansion of the Black Market Peso Exchange.

Our own Edward Myers calls for serious efforts to improve timely national coordination and sharing of Intelligence if we are to effectively address financial crime.

With the advances in our virtual world, Steven Landman, from the Investigative Program on Terrorist Financing, outlines the challenges of thwarting this burgeoning terrorist threat. And, just to give this some perspective, coupled with the article on weapons of mass destruction and the terrorist by FrontLine’s new contributing editor, Mario D’Angelo, we can see one route down which this threat may indeed prove dangerous to our potential security.

Blair Watson takes a look at the security question of passports. It seems the added features in biometric passports can assist in interrupting forgery efforts but the loopholes demand answers.

Professor Steven Hutchinson from the University of Ottawa brings us up to date on our laws and the national and international mechanisms in respect of proceeds of crime, and makes us aware of the security challenges that criminal financing poses here and abroad. This, in conjunction with the excellent submission by Yiagadeesen Samy, associate professor at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University highlighting the differing objectives behind money laundering and terrorism financing, indeed justifies his most valid plea for an efficient international body to coordinate this global fight.

FrontLine continues to follows the ever-important topic of cyber security.

We present an important interview with US Deputy Secretary of Defense, William J. Lynn III, following his visit to Canada, on the importance of addressing our continental cyber security challenges, particularly to our critical infrastructure.

In another article on this same topic, Dave McMahon from Bell Canada and Dr. Rafal Rohozinski of Sec Dev Group deal with the issue of cyber espionage, in terms of the economic and other advantages that amplify our vulnerability.

Scott Newark closes with his One Last Thing on $ound and $ensible $ecurity in the application of Justice.

An interesting edition indeed, and one which we hope will encourage readership debate and sponsorship support.